(a) The Legislature finds that it has, since January 1, 2007,
consistently and annually imposed upon the county commissioners,
sheriffs, county and circuit clerks, assessors and prosecuting
attorneys in each county new and additional duties by the enactment
of new provisions and amendments to this code. The new and
additional duties imposed upon the aforesaid county officials by
these enactments are such that they would justify the increases in
compensation as provided in section four of this article, without
violating the provisions of section thirty-eight, article VI of the
Constitution of West Virginia.

(b) The Legislature further finds that there are, from time to
time, additional duties imposed upon all county officials through
the acts of the Congress of the United States and that such acts
constitute new and additional duties for county officials and, as
such, justify the increases in compensation as provided by section
four of this article, without violating the provisions of section
thirty-eight, article VI of the Constitution of West Virginia.

(c) The Legislature further finds that there is a direct
correlation between the total assessed property valuations of a
county on which the salary levels of the county commissioners,
sheriffs, county and circuit clerks, assessors and prosecuting
attorneys are based, and the new and additional duties that each of
these officials is required to perform as they serve the best interests of their respective counties. Inasmuch as the
reappraisal of the property valuations in each county has now been
accomplished, the Legislature finds that a change in classification
of counties by virtue of increased property valuations will occur
on an infrequent basis. However, it is the further finding of the
Legislature that when such change in classification of counties
does occur, that new and additional programs, economic
developments, requirements of public safety and the need for new
services provided by county officials all increase, that the same
constitute new and additional duties for county officials as their
respective counties reach greater heights of economic development,
as exemplified by the substantial increases in property valuations
and, as such, justify the increases in compensation provided in
section four of this article, without violating the provisions of
section thirty-eight, article VI of the Constitution of West
Virginia.

(d) The Legislature further finds and declares that the
amendments enacted to this article are intended to modify the
provisions of this article so as to cause the same to be in full
compliance with the provisions of the Constitution of West Virginia
and to be in full compliance with the decisions of the Supreme
Court of Appeals of West Virginia.
Note: WV Code updated with legislation passed through the 2014 1st Special Session
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